Recovery cable connector for diver-swimmer

ABSTRACT

A cable connector suited for underwater salvage operations by diver-swimmers having an engagable male and a female part. The male member is attached to a hoisting line and flotation gear and the female part is attached to the load. A hauling line attached to the male member, leads away from the head, threads into the central barrel and over a sheave in the female part. Pulling on the hauling line brings the two parts into locking engagement. Spring-loaded cammable latches on the female part engage the head of the male member for a swivel connection.

Unitedlstates Patent [191 Cartwright" I May 28, 1974 RECOVERY CABLE CONNECTOR FOR DIVER-SWIMMER [76] Inventor: Howard Cartwright, Quarters A,

Naveodfac, Indian Head, Md. 20649 [22] Filed: Dec. 30, 1971 21] Appl. No.: 213,900

[52] US. Cl; 403/27, 403/325, 403/327,

403/330 [51] Int. Cl. F161) 21/07 [58] Field of Search. 294/110, 86.29, 86.33;

24/230 AT, 123 A; 340/275, 52 E; 287/205;

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Barraja-Frauenfelder....l 114/51 ux 2,467,045 4/1949 Lobelle 24/123 A 2,641,780 6/1953 Brown et al. 1 14/51 X 2,902,737 9/1959 Moran 24/211 M 3,199,161 8/1965 Hamilton 24/123 A 3,200,370 8/1965 Rush 340/52 E FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 1,021,215 3/1966 Great Britain 24/230 AT 1,209,768 10/1970 Great Britain 340/275 376,326 5/1923 Germany 114/51 Primary Examiner-Andrew V. Kundrat Attorney, Agent, or Firm-R. S. Sciascia; J. A. Cooke;

D. McGiehan [57] ABSTRACT A cable connector suited for underwater salvage operations by diver-swimmers having an engagable male and a female part. The male member is attached to a hoisting line and flotation gear and the female part is attached to the load. A hauling line attached to the male member, leads away from the head, threads into th'ecentral barrel and over a sheave in the female part. Pulling on the hauling line brings the two parts into locking engagement. Spring-loaded cammable latches on the female part engage the head of the male member for a swivel connection.

3 Claims, 1 Drawing Figure PATENTEDHAY 28 m4 INVENTOR H w d Cartwright ATTORNEYS RECOVERY CABLE CONNECTOR FOR D IVER-SWIMMER BACKGROUND or THE INVENTION Salvage operations underwater by Hard-hat" and Scuba" divers requiring normal tasks, such as locating an item, are at best tiring and time consuming. Operations requiring much labor, such as carrying and attaching the heavy, stiff hoisting cables to the salvage item may be almost impossible because of the additional exertion of the diver and the concomitant use of breathing air. These factors severely limitthe time a diver has to work on the project;

Attempts to solve these problems have generally been in the nature of diver carrying messenger lines down to the salvage item. The hoisting cable may be attached to the messenger line by the screw on the surface vessel and hauled down by the diver for attachment to the item by shackles and other connectors. This task is also difficult because the heavy cables perhaps influenced by water currents must be held in alignment to the item while connection ismade.

Another method-shown by the prior art involves the use of a neutrally-buoyant buoy carried by the diverto the salvage item where a fitting is shackled on and the buoy is released to float to the surface on a messenger line. Later, a mating fitting is lowered down the messenger line to engage the fitting attached by the diver. This method suffers because of the lack of positive control to mate the fittings and also the bulk of the neutrally buoyant buoy that the diver must carry around.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a cable connector suitable for "salvage operations.

Another object of the instant invention is to provide a cable connector that can be conveniently used by divers and swimmers underwater.

A further object of the invention is to provide a cable connector that can be readily engaged by divers or by surface salvage ship p'ersonnelfl I A still further object of the instant invention is to'provide a cable connector that may be pulled intoengagement by a light hauling line and is later capable of carrying heavy strains in lifting salvage items.

Briefly, these and other objects of the present invention are attained by the use of a cable connector having an engagable male and a female part. The female part may be shackled to the salvage item and the male part connected to the floatation gear or hoisting cable. A hauling line, of plaited nylon attached to the male part, extends coaxially out the head and is threaded into the opening and over a sheave in the female part so that hauling of the line causes the parts to be brought into union where spring-loaded latches on the female part engage the enlarged head of the male part. Thereafter, a strain may be taken by the floatation gear and cables to raise the salvage item to the surface.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS by reference to the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

The FIGURE is a pictorial view of the cable connector just prior to engagement.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the drawing, there is shown in the FIGURE generally a cable connector 10, having a male part 12 and a female part 14. The male part comprises an enlarged head 16, a shaft 18 having a reduced diameter and base 20. Bored coaxially through the male part is a passage 22 open at the head 16 and exiting at the base 20 by an intersecting angular hole 24 to form a communicating passage. A plaited nylon hauling line 26 is knotted at hole 24 and extends out passage 22 at head 16.

Affixed about the base 20 of the male part 12 is an insulating ring 28 having therein a pair of spring-loaded electrical contactors 30. A transverse hole 32 in base 20 may be used to connect the male part 12 to floatation or other lifting gear (not shown).

The female part 14 of the cable connector 10 comprises a barrel 33 having a bell-mouthed entrance 34. A plurality of latches 38 in slots 36 intersecting with the barrel 33 are pivotally attached to the body of the female part 14 to engage head 16 of the male part 12 when inserted. A circumferential groove 40 about the body of the female part 14 has a helically wound spring 42 embracing the body and thereby the latches 38 to bias them inwardly.

At the inner end of the barrel 32 and open to the side of the body is a slot 44 containing a sheave 46 mounted for rotation about an axle pin 48 and having the hauling line 26 bent thereover. On the end opposite the bellmouthed opening 34 of the female part is a lug 50 having a transverse hole 52 for attachment to a salvage item to be hoisted.

In operation, the floatation or hoisting gear (not shown) is first attached to the base 20 of the male part by the use of hole 32 in any conventional manner, as for example by a shackle. A hauling line 26 made of plaited nylon for example is threaded into the coaxial passage 22 in the tip 16 and out the intersecting hole 24 where it is knotted. A diver takes the hauling line 26 with him and descends to the salvage item. He attaches the female part 14 to the salvage item by the use of hole 52 in lug 50 in any conventional manner as for example by a shackle. He then inserts the hauling line 26 into the bell-mouthed entrance 34 in the female part 14, through the barrel 33, and out the slot 44 over the sheave 46. Thence the diver pulls on the hauling line 26 drawing the male part 12 to a position adjacent the female part 14, where the tip 16 enters the entrance 34 readily due to the bell-mouthed shape, into the barrel 33 where the latches 38 are cammed outwardly against the spring 42, and finally when full penetration is achieved, the latches spring inwardly gripped behind the head at the reduced diameter of the shaft 18. In this position, the spring-biased contactors 30 in the insulating ring 28 contact the female part closing an electrical circuit to thereby signal the condition to a surface ship to begin hoisting or to ignite a squib to inflate floatation gear and thus bring the salvage item to the surface.

Obviously, numerous modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in light of the above teachings. It is therefore to be understood that within the scope of the appended claims the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent of the United States is:

l. A cable connector assembly comprising:

an elongated male part attachable to hoisting means having an enlarged head portion,

a reduced shaft portion.

a base portion, and

a central passage extending substantially through said male part;

a female part attachable to a load having an internal passage with a bell-mouthed entrance portion;

a plurality of latches pivotally attached to and normally lying flush with the outer diameter of said female part;

an annular groove extending about the periphery of said female part;

an annular spring positioned in said groove and embracing said plurality of latches to hold them in the flush position; and

a flexible line interconnecting said male and female parts, said line being secured to said male part and extending through said central passage and out of said enlarged head portion, threaded into said entrance portion and passing through said internal passage of said female part, and out the side of said female part,

whereby pulling of the loose end of said line causes said male part to enter and be engaged by said female part.

2. The cable connector assembly of claim 1 further comprising:

electrical contactors attached to said male part for completing a circuit when engaged with said female part.

3. The cable connector assembly of claim 1 further comprising:

a sheave rotatably attached to said female part for smoothly guiding said line therethrough. 

1. A cable connector assembly comprising: an elongated male part attachable to hoisting means having an enlarged head portion, a reduced shaft portion, a base portion, and a central passage extending substantially through said male part; a female part attachable to a load having an internal passage with a bell-mouthed entrance portion; a plurality of latches pivotally attached to and normally lying flush with the outer diameter of said female part; an annular groove extending about the periphery of said female part; an annular spring positioned in said groove and embracing said plurality of latches to hold them in the flush position; and a flexible line interconnecting said male and female parts, said line being secured to said male part and extending through said central passage and out of said enlarged head portion, threaded into said entrance portion and passing through said internal passage of said female part, and out the side of said female part, whereby pulling of the loose end of said line causes said male part to enter and be engaged by said female part.
 2. The cable connector assembly of claim 1 further comprising: electrical contactors attached to said male part for completing a circuit when engaged with said female part.
 3. The cable connector assembly of claim 1 further comprising: a sheave rotatably attached to said female part for smoothly guiding said line therethrough. 